The New York Yankees have surged to the top of the AL East to start the season, buoyed by the offensive impact of Juan Soto and surprise contributions from Anthony Volpe and Oswaldo Cabrera.
But veteran Anthony Rizzo, a three-time All-Star, has not shown the kind of slugging power that the team was hoping for, slashing just .240/.313/.307 in 75 at bats so far. His OPS is currently at its lowest mark since his rookie season and if he can’t turn things around offensively the team might seek some help at first base via trade.
Projecting the ideal landing spots for MLB’s top trade targets, Tim Kelly of Bleacher Report floated the Yankees as a trade partner with the Miami Marlins to acquire slugger Josh Bell as a Rizzo replacement.
“With the Marlins off to a disastrous start in 2024, there’s a good chance that Bell — who is in the final season of a two-year, $33 million deal — will be on the move again this summer,” Kelly wrote. “Bell could also be a fit for the Yakees if Rizzo and/or Giancarlo Stanton don’t heat up.”
Former Silver Slugger Josh Bell Could Be a Midseason Boost for the New York Yankees
In nine big-league seasons, Bell is a .258/.346/.451 hitter, with a Silver Slugger Award from 2022 and an All-Star nod from 2019. So far in 2024 his bat does not seem like an upgrade from Rizzo’s, as he’s gone just .200/.300/.329 with two homers and seven RBI, but the switch hitter does have a history of breathing new life into teams at midseason and his bat started off cold last season as well before heating up considerably.
“Josh Bell has played for quite a few of the more small-budget teams in the sport, and when those clubs aren’t contending, they tend to shed payroll, which Bell has often found himself on the wrong end of,” Kelly added. “For the second year in a row, Bell’s bat is very cold to open the season. But he posted an OPS just shy of .800 in the second half of 2023, helping the offensively challenged Marlins to make the playoffs for just the fourth time in franchise history.”
The New York Yankees and Miami Marlins Seem Open to Midseason Trade Discussions
As the Yankees look to put a disappointing 2023 season in the rearview mirror and return to the playoffs this season, it seems that midseason moves could be likely if general manager Brian Cashman sees an opportunity for the team to get better.
And for their part, the Marlins appear to be open to nearly any opportunities to clear payroll and reload for the future, particularly after they already traded veteran Jon Berti to the Yankees.
“No, it is not too early to envision the Miami Marlins as a trade-deadline seller, not when they already have moved one veteran player and entertained offers for some of their biggest names,” Ken Rosenthal and Dennis Lin reported for The Athletic. “If their play does not improve, first-year general manager Peter Bendix almost certainly will be more inclined to dismantle his roster.”
If the Yankees do end up pursuing Bell, they could have competition at the deadline. Kelly listed the Chicago Cubs and Minnesota Twins as other ideal landing spots for the slugger, though the Cubs seem to have landed on their first baseman of the present and future with Michael Busch.
